Boxing Day 2009- Napier and Cape Kidnappers Gannett Bird Colony

So what is Boxing Day, which is celebrated throughout the former British Commonwealth? There are a host of explanations, it was most likely named because the wealthy aristocracy sent their servants home to visit their families for one day after preparing a lavish Christmas celebration with a box of leftovers and other treats the day after Christmas. We used our Boxing Day to travel from Rotorua to Taupo and on to Napier.

In Taupo, we stopped at Huka Falls which is an amazingly blue waterfall where the river has narrowed through a gorge. It is used for hydroelectric power and I think that the sign said it once supplied the majority of the power for the N. Island. Lyle and Donna are pictured by the river, but this picture was better than the one with the falls in it so no falls. Sorry!




After a nice drive that included stops at two waterfalls, breakfast, a stop at a roadside produce stand for peaches, plums, and nectarines, we arrived at Napier. Napier is a very cute, seaside, wine town, but you will have to wait for the next post to see those pics. Boxing Day night we went on a beach tour out to the end of this long peninsula to see a Gannett bird colony. We traveled in flatbed trailers behind tractors and the drivers delighted in driving straight into waves crashing on the beach to liven up the one-hour ride out there. They also stopped along the way to tell some stories and share the geology of the cliffs along the way. At one point, we saw a faultline that measured 27 feet from an earthquake that took place millions of years ago.





Lyle is holding what I think they would call a crayfish that is very similar to a lobster. Unfortunately, we did not get to eat this one. The random gentleman to Lyle's left caught it and a bunch of other ocean delicacies. Molly and I are pictured with the birds. There were quite a few birds- numbering in the thousands? The birds fly to Australia when they reach maturity and then fly back to NZ to nest. Only 20% make it back alive from the Australia journey that they only make once. The pairs mate for life and take turns guarding the eggs. We saw just a few chicks as it was the beginning of hatching season. We hiked back down to the beach for a wonderful dinner picnic and chased off some seagulls who also have an affinity for delicious cheese.

On the drive back, we saw this amazing reverse sunset where the sun setting reflected off the clouds above the bay and so we got a virtual sunset even though Napier faces east. Incredible! I only hope to celebrate Boxing Day again in such style.